fifteen months

Last week, you reached 15 months and are thus now a quarter year older than my last report.

You continue to use more words.  You really like to practice saying them.  We say, Lena, can you say, X?  And you attempt to say it back.  We often play this game on the car rides home from school and you like it so much that sometimes when I stop asking, you say more, more.

Speaking of more, you have a preference for music and when you are sick of a song, you keep saying more louder and louder until we switch it to the next song.  You no longer put up with NPR or really any radio music.  The music from our music class cds is really the only option.

You like to say hat.  When you put your coat on, you often ask for your hat.  You like to turn lots of objects into hats by placing them on your head.

You like to make people laugh and get their reactions.  For example, if we put something on your head that you don't like and go to take off, but then we say, Lena, show Daddy, you will keep it on until Daddy looks and reacts.  Very cute.

You also like to sit and you like to say sit.  You have even started telling us to sit.

You also like the word hot.  You like to tell us when things are hot, such as the radiator or your food.

You do not like diaper changes.  You do not like getting your nose or face wiped.

You continue to be a good eater and are now eating the meals that we do for the most part. It is fun to eat all together.

You are extremely fond of the Sesame Street gang, and Elmo in particular.  You have a little stuffed Elmo that is your best snuggle friend and you get so happy when you reconnect with him at the end of a day apart.  Sometimes, when we are home after school and have not yet gone upstairs, you think of him and say his name and then proceed to climb up the stairs so you can see him.  You can also recognize and say Big Bird (only the Big part), Bert, Ernie, Abby, Zoey, and Oscar.  You cannot tell Grover apart from Elmo and insist every Grover is an Elmo.  You recognize Cookie Monster too but can't say his name.  We let you watch Sesame Street songs on YouTube when we cut your nails - this has led to you often yell Elmo, Elmo when you see the computer so we will let you watch.  We don't give in, usually, but you really do love those songs and everything Sesame Street.

You are also fond of the baby that Auntie Tara and family gave to you for Christmas.  When we read books that mention babies, you often feel the need to get up and go get the baby.  You like to put her down for naps, as well as Elmo, Pooh, and whoever else happens to be laying around.  You find one of your blankies and lay it over them and pat them and say, "Night, night.  Night, night."  This is apparently how they put you down for naps at school.  You sometimes do this to one of us too, or even yourself.

Speaking of naps, you take one long nap a day and have been for a while - it is usually two to three hours long.  You typically go to sleep around 8 or 8:30 at night and wake up around 6:30.  You sometimes wake up in the middle of the night but for the most part sleep through the night.

We had your fifteen month check-up today and for the first time, you apparently remembered what the place was all about and thus were not happy from the very beginning.

Height: 30.25 inches (50%)

Weight: 23 lbs 6 oz (50-75%)

Head: 47.8 cm (90%)

I feel my heart grow bigger and bigger everyday because of you.